Aerial tramway.



PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

0.- J. DAVY & B. H. BECKER.

AERIAL TRAMWAY.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 4, 1901.

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PATENTED JULY 23,1907. 0. J. DAVY & E. H. BECKER.

AERIAL TRAMWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNM, 1907.

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No. 860,736. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907. 0. J. DAVY & E. H. BECKER.

AERIAL TRAMWAY.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 4, 1907.

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AERIAL TRAMWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1907.

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APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 4, 1907.

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No. 860,736. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907,

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AERIAL TRAMWAY.

APPLIOATION IILBI) JUNE 4, 1907. v

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrren.

ORRIN .I. DAVY AND EDMUND H. BECKER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO INDUSTRIAL MOTOR COMPANY,A CORPO- RATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AERIAL TRAMWAY.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed June 4, 1907. Serial No. 377,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ORRIN J. DAVY and EDMUND H. BECKER, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerial Tramways, ofwhich the following is'a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements inaerial tramways and relates more particularly to elevated systems inwhich the tracks or rails are formed of flexible cables.

The invention has for its object the production of an improved railwaysystem that is particularly adapted for places of amusement, the cablesforming the tracks being supported in such a manner that the slackoccurring between the supports will impart an undulating movement to acar as the latter passes over from one support to another, whereby thepassengers experience the peculiar and fascinating sensation of a suddencoasting ending with a quick and frequent rise preparatory to anothercoast which they feel helpless to prevent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of thecharacter referred to which can be located above stationary amusementsand operated at high speed with perfact safety and without interferingwith or interference from the adjacent amusements.

A fmther object is to provide a railway system which may be safelyoperated at an elevation above the normal street grade, whereby highspeed can be attained without interference from the street traffic andwithout endangering the lives of the operators and passengers.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved rocker arms tosupport the cables forming the tracks of the system.

A further object is to provide a track formed of comparatively shortsections of cable, and also to provide a means for maintaining the trackcables in a taut condition and for regulating the stretch of the saidcables to conform to the load to be supported thereby.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 1, 2 and 3 are side elevations ofsuccessive sections of my improved aeiial tramway. Fig. 4 is a plan viewof one of said sections. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view thereof.Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the rocker arms, parts being brokenaway and shown in section. Fig. 7 is a detail.

Referring to the drawings, a series of spaced apart cross beams 10 areprovided, the same being supported by suitable pillars or standards 11,and braced by stays 12. Each cross beam 10 serves as a foundationsupport for one or more bearings 13, in which are mounted rock shafts15, each of said shafts being provided with a pair of rocker arms 16,said arms being rigidly secured to said rock shaft in any suitablemanner.

In our complete system we employ three distinct forms of rocker arms,which we have designated in the drawings as A, B, and C respectively.The tracks or rails 20 are formed of sections of flexible cables, oneend of each cable being passed downward through an opening 21, in rockerarm A, and after being passed around a pin 22, is clamped to the body ofthe cable by a tapered clamp 23, which is drawn within a flared portionof the opening 21. From this point the cable is extended to rocker armB, resting in a suitable groove in said rocker arm, and from thence isextended to rocker arm O. The latter is provided with a curved opening24, through which the cable is extended, after which it is passed aroundsuitable anti-friction sheaves 25, the terminal of the cable beingsecured at 26 to the standards or pillars 11, supporting rocker arms B.Each rocker arm C is provided with two openings 24 through which cables20 of adjoining sections are passed, said cables being extended inopposite directions, the top edge of said arm being provided with atraction surface 27, between said openings 24. The sheaves 25 aremounted in bearings 28 of brackets 29, secured in any preferred mannerto the pillars or standards 11, said bearings being ofiset to bring thesheaves in alinement with the tracks 20. The rocker arm A is alsoprovided with two openings 21, which are separated by an interveningtraction surface 30, the contiguous ends of two cables 20 being securedto said rocker arm. Each rocker arm is also provided at each end with adownwardly curved lip 31. A

A suitable weight is suspended from that portion 32 of each cableextending between sheaves 25 and point 26. In practice I preferablyemploy a receptacle 33 which is suspended by means of bails 34 from acarrier 35, mounted upon the cable. Said receptacle is provided with anoutlet opening 36, controlled by a valve or slide 37, which is mountedupon inclined supports 38, whereby sand or the like, with which saidreceptacle is filled, will be directed toward said outlet opening whenthe slide is moved. The outward movement of the valve is limited by astop 39. The sand or other material in the receptacles 33 of each railor cable 20 serves to hold the cable taut between the rocker arms, thecombined weight of each pair of receptacles 33 being regulated toapproximate the weight of the load to be transported over said tracks.Thus the weights serve to maintain the cables in a taut condition, andany stretch in said cables may be taken up by turnbuckles 40. Anysuitable motive power may be employed, but I have illustrated a trolleywire 41. As a car approaches the rocker arms, the latter are tiltedunder the weight of the car, assuming a position with the top face ofeach rocker arm in line with and forming a substantial continuation ofthat portion of the track which tends to sag under the weight of thecar; as the latter travels over the traction portion of the rocker armsthe latter are again tilted in the opposite direction to bring thetraction surfaces in line with the tracks as the car passes on to thelatter. The effect of this is to cause the car to coast as on a downgrade, whereupon it will move at a comparatively high speed until thecenter of the span is reached, where the speedwill be checked bytheupward rise of the track. The weight of the car is sustained by theweighted receptacles 33 and it will be noted that the lips 31 form seatsthat reduce wear upon the cable by reason of the tilting movement of therocker arms.

From what has been said it will be readily understood that we haveproduced a simple and inexpensive aerial tramway system which can besafely operated at an elevation above the normal street traflic. It willalso be notedthat We have produced a system of this character in which acontinuous track is formed of comparatively short sections of flexiblecable. It will be further observed that we have also provided GfllCiGDl)means by which the track cables are kept in a taut condition and saidtracks constantly maintained in a condition to support any load whichmay pass thereover. It will also be noted that by means of our improvedrocker arm the car will pass smoothly over the supports without jolt orjar, and that by mounting the rocker arms in pairs they maintain the tworails of a track always in juxtaposition. We claim as our invention:

1. An aerial tramway, the rails of which each comprise rocker arms, aflexible cable having one end secured to one of said rocker arms andengaging the other rocker arm, and means independent of the rocker armsfor main-' taining a tension on said cable.

2. An aerial tramway, the rails of. which each comprise rocker arms, aflexible cable loosely engaging one of said rocker arms and having oneend secured to the other rocker arm, and means independent of the rockerarmsfor maintaining a tension on said cable.

3. An aerial tramway, the rails of which each comprise rocker arms, aflexible cable passed through one of said rocker arms and having one endsecured to the other rocker arm, means for securing. the other end of.said cable independent of the rocker arms for maintaining a tension onsaid cable.

4. An aerial tramway, the rails of which each comprise rocker arms, oneof said arms being provided with an opening, a flexible cable having oneend secured in said opening, said cable loosely engaging the otherrocker arm, and means independent of the rocker arms for maintaining atension on said cable.

5. An aerial tramway, the rails of which each comprise rocker arms, oneof said arms being provided with an opening, a pin in said opening, aflexible cable loosely engaging the other rocker arm and having one endlooped around said pin, and means independent of the rocker arms formaintaining a tension on said cable.

6. An aerial tramway, the rails of which each comprise rocker arms, oneof said arms being provided with an opening having a tapered portion, aflexible cable loosely engaging the other rocker arm and having atapered clamp secured to one end and fitting in said tapered opening,and

means independent of the rocker arms for maintaining a tension on saidcable.

7. An aerial tramway, the rails of which each comprise rocker arms, oneof said arms being provided with an opening, a cable passedthrough saidopening and having one end secured to the other rocker arm, and meansfor maintaining a tension on said cable.

8. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms mounted on said supports, and a flexible cable passed through oneof said rocker arms, one end of said cable being secured to the otherrocker arm, and the other end to one of said supports, and means for.maintaining a tension on said cable.

9. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms mounted on said supports, and a flexible cable passed through oneof said rocker arms, one 'end of said cable being secured to the otherrocker arm to form a traction portion, the other end of said cable beingsecured to one of said supports to form a depending ten 'sion loop, andmeans engaging said tension loop to maintain a tension upon the tractionportion of said cable.

10. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms mounted on said supports, and a flexible cable passed through oneof said rocker arms, one end of said cable being secured to the otherrocker arm to form a traction portion, the other end of said cable beingsupported to form a depending tension loop, and a weight suspended fromsaid tension loop.

11. An aerial tramway comprising rails each formed of rocker arms, and aflexible cable extending between said rocker arms, to form a tractionportion, said cable being passed through the other rocker arm and havingits end;

secured to form a suspended tension portion, and a tension deviceengaging said portion.

12. An aerial tramway comprising rails each formed of rocker arms, and aflexible cable extending between said rocker arms, to form a tractionportion, said cable being passed through the other. rocker arm andhaving its end secured to form a suspended tension portion, sheavesaround which saidtension portion is passed, and a tension deviceengaging said tension portion.

v 13. Anaerial tramway comprising rails each formed of rocker arms, anda flexible cable extending between said rocker arms, to form a tractionportion, said cable being passed through the other rocker arm and havingits end secured-to form a suspended tension portion, and a Weightsuspended from said tension portion.

14. An aerial tramway. comprising rails each formed of rocker arms, anda flexible cable extending between said rocker arms, to form a tractionportion, said cable being passed through the other rocker arm and havingits end secured to form a suspended tension portion, sheaves aroundwhich said tension portion is passed, and a weight.

suspended from said tension portion.

15. An aerial tramway comprising rails each formed of rocker arms, and aflexible cable extending between said rocker arms to form a tractionportion, said cable being passed through the other rocker arm and havingits end secured to form a suspended tension portion, a carrier mountedon said tension portion, and a receptacle suspended from said carrier.

16. An aerial tramway comprising rails each formed of rocker arms, and aflexible cable extending between said rocker arms to form a tractionportion, said cable being passed through the other rocker arm and havingits end sccnredto form a suspended tension portion, a carrier mount- .edon said tension portion, a weight receptacle suspended from saidcarrier, and means for varying the weight of said receptacle.

17. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed-of rockerarms, and a flexible cable supported by said rocker armsand providedwithtraction and tension portions, and a weight suspended from said tensionportion.

18. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms, and a flexible cable supported by said rocker arms and providedwith traction and tension.

portions, anti-friction sheaves engaging the tension portion of saidcable, and a weight suspended from said tension portion.

19. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms, and a flexible cable supported by said rocker arms and providedwith traction and tension portions, brackets secured to said supportsand provided with offset bearings, anti-friction sheaves mounted in saidbearings and engaging the tension portion of said cable,

and weights suspended from said tension portion.

20. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms, and a flexible cable supported by said rocker arms and providedwith traction and tension portions, a carrier mounted upon said tensionportion, and a weight receptacle suspended from said carrier.

21. An aerial tramway comprising supports, rails each formed of rockerarms, and a flexible cable supported by said rocker arms and providedwith traction and tension portions, an adjustable connection for the endof said tensaid rocker arms and provided with traction and tension 2portions, means for taking up the slack on said cable, and

a weight suspended from said tension portion.

In testimony whereof we afl'ix'our signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

ORRIN J. DAVY. EDMUND H. BECKER.

Witnesses F. LInBseHUTz, EDWARD Lacy.

